Tag: leadership

What do we owe a toxic leader?

The question I’d ask today is, “When in a followership role, what do we as followers owe a toxic leader?”

Let’s first discuss the definition of leadership. My definition of leadership is the thoughtful and methodical application of a continually studied framework that becomes a mindset which promotes positive culture and ethics. 

I subscribe to a school of thought that believes leadership is a positive trait and should be defined as such. Of course, there exist “leaders” who embrace negative traits to achieve their goals. We tend to refer to these folks as ‘bad’ or ‘toxic’ leaders. I don’t believe they should be honored with the title of “leader” at all. One who is embued with the authority to direct others, but whom lacks the traits to be a good leader (or sees no need to implement the same) is, at best, a manager with the legal authority to direct action by subordinates. All that said, I will keep with the naming convention for the purpose of answering the asked question, “What do we as followers owe a toxic leader?”

What is a toxic leader? I suspect we can all name the traits that make an individual leader toxic. Such people are often arbitrary, negative, insulting, intimidating (or use intimidation), narcissistic and tend to rely on authority in lieu of actual leadership to achieve a goal, which is likely personally driven vs in service to an ideal.

What do we owe such ‘leaders’?

Nothing.

Such individuals are in violation of the social contract, the glue that holds us together in a society.

We do not owe such toxic individuals allegiance or deference.

I would go so far as to suggest we owe one another a duty to speak out against such individuals, as we are able.

What say you?

Leadership

The effect we have on others-2Happy Monday, folks! I’ll take just a moment to apologize for my silence of the last month. I’m still very much committed to the idea of daily posts as a career decision and my battle rhythm. Life often has a…penchant…for getting in the way of our operational models for the same. Tangentially related: this is a good reason for having an operational model or framework. These aren’t meant to be necessarily hard and fast but are plans. You CAN deviate from your plan. Your framework should be your baseline, to which you can return to time and time again.

Anyhow, today leadership is very much on my mind.

It’s a topic I’ve written about several times here. Definitions abound but my working definition of leadership is this:

Leadership is the thoughtful and methodical application of a continually studied framework that becomes a mindset.

Leadership is study.

Leadership is explorative.

Leadership is evolving.

Leadership is learning.

Leadership is language.

Leadership is is perspective.

Leadership is an awesome responsibility and ought not to be undertaken lightly. The best leaders I know are committed learners who have a ripple effect on those around them.

People want to follow good leaders.

10thHuman: Perspective. Have you seen the world through my eyes?

credit: pixabay
credit: pixabay

Have you seen the world through my eyes?

The question was asked in response to my having offered assistance to a complete stranger. When I relayed what I’d done to a friend, they offered that they would have wanted to do the same but would have hesitated in doing so for a fear of physical safety.

This is a question I think about every day and could be – should probably be – the subject of a much larger post than this is likely to be.

Have you seen the world through my eyes? 

This question stopped me in my tracks when it was asked and still resonates with me today, in a profound way. It’s a question I have asked thousands of young leaders, when I taught a course on leadership, ethics and perspective at the United States Air Force Academy.

The short answer is, of course, “No.”

The longer answer is, “What a powerful question to ask. While I cannot do so, I can and surely ought to try.”

From a personal and business perspective, sincerely asking this question launched a journey of introspection of which this blog is the current manifestation.

From a business perspective alone, what an incredible cornerstone of a framework to consider our actions through.

Have we seen the world through the eyes of a consumer or a client?

Have we seen the world through the eyes of our partners or vendors

Have we seen the world through the eyes of our employees? 

Phrased and applied another way:

Have we tried to see ourselves as others see us?

I don’t offer definitive answers here, just food for thought.

Leadership and language are essential partners in business

The effect we have on others-2

In a recent conversation about The Value of I don’t Know, a friend and valued mentor of mine, Theresa Lewandowski Van Etta relayed this:

Leadership and language are essential partners in business.
– Theresa Lewandowski Van Etta

This resonated with me. Let’s chat about the ‘why’.

I’ve previously blogged about the power of language, which I think is also summed up by Leah Boroditsky when she says:

What we have learned is that people who speak different languages do indeed think differently and that even flukes of grammar can profoundly affect how we see the world.

Words are the physical manifestation of an intent to speak, the audible result of will.

If we can readily agree that language, that our words, matter then it is not a leap to see why our words impact leadership.

Language reflects our thoughts, our essence. Leadership is the thoughtful and methodical application of a continually studied framework that becomes a mindset.

If our language does not reflect the culture we are trying to build in our businesses, it impacts and affects our leadership ability and credibility.

 

23 best quotes on leadership…

  • Do not overly exalt yourself.
    – Marcus Aurelius

 

  • Being a good leader is not a byproduct of a pleasant personality.
    – Retired USAF MSgt John Mitchell

 

  • I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?
    – Benjamin Disraeli

 

  • Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
    – Margaret Mead

 

  •  To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less.
    – Andre Malraux

 

  • It’s hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.
    – Adlai Stevenson

 

  • Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
    – Peter F. Drucker

 

  • I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.
    – Robert E. Lee

 

  • I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
    – Ralph Nader

 

  • I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.
    – Lao Tzu

 

  • The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
    – Retired General Colin Powell

 

  • Do not expect bad people to exempt you from their destructive ways. 
    – Marcus Aurelius

 

  • You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.
    – Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

  • Refrain from imposing your feelings onto reality.
    – Marcus Aurelius

 

  • Too many kings can ruin an army. 
    – Homer

 

  • The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.
    – Harvey S. Firestone

 

  • Our power lies in our small daily choices, one after another, to create eternal ripples of a life well lived.
    – Mollie Marti

 

  • A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit.
    – John Maxwell

 

  • No great manager or leader ever fell from heaven, its learned not inherited.
    – Tom Northup

 

  • As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.
    – Bill Gates

 

  • You manage things; you lead people.
    – Real Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

 

  • What you do has far greater impact than what you say.  
    – Stephen Covey

 

  • Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.
    – Colin Powell